Semielliptic spring.



PATENTED OCT. l0, 1905.

G. BAURMANN. SEMIELLIPTIC SPRING.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.28.1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SElVllELLlPTlC SPRING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10, 1905.

Application led January 28, 1905. Serial No. 243,098.

To f//ZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, GUs'rAv BAURMANN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicag'o, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Semielliptic Springs, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to end plates for semielliptic springs, to whichthe stirrup or gib carrying' the load is fitted.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive endplate of the class mentioned capable of being set or adjusted inposition on the end of the main leaf of a multiple-leaf spring' of usualconstruction and locked securely in place by the assembling of the otherparts of the spring' without requiring bending or welding' of the lpartsinto engagement and involving but slight modification in the form of thespring, easily produced by ordinary cutting and punching tools.

To this end my invention consists principally in an end platecharacterized as to its novel features by the provision of a downwardlyturned and slotted or socketed outer end, adapted to engage a tongue onthe main leaf in association with a -lug' on the under side of itsopposite end adapted to fit a slot in the main leaf, said lug having',preferably, a longitudinally-offset portion underlying the main leaf andseated in an aperture in the second leaf.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the preferredform of the invention, Figure 1 is a side elevational View of asemi-elliptic leaf-spring, showing my improved end plate in sideelevation at one end and in longitudinal section at the other. Fig. 2 isa side elevational view of the end plate detached. Fig. 3 is a bottomplan view of Fig. 2. Fig'. et is a transverse sectional view on the linea et of Fig. 2 looking' toward the outer end of the plate. Fig. 5 is aplan view of the end portion of the main leaf. Fig. 6 is a similar viewof the end portion of the second leaf. Fig. 7 is a longitudinalsectional view of the device when made in the form of a stirrup endplate, the same being shown as engaging the main and second leaves ofthe spring. Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of the form of plate shown inFig'. 7, and Figs. 9 and 10 are plan views of the end portions of themain and second leaves when adapted to receive the stirrup form of endplate shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

Referring to the drawings, 11 designates the main leaf, and 12 a secondleaf of a semielliptic spring, designated as an entirety by 13, theleaves being' united centrally by the usual tie-clip 14. In the form ofthe invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, each end of themain leaf 11 is cut away to provide a short longitudinally-projectingtongue 15, and in rear of the latter is provided with an elongated slot16. Each end portion of the second leaf 12 is provided with an oblong'slot 17, and in the preferred form of thc invention with a roundaperture 18, lying' inwardly of the inner end of slot 17. 19 designatesas an entirety the end plate, provided with a longitudinally-oblong slot2O to accommodate the dependinghanger or gib 21, by which the load ishung from the ends of the spring. The upper surface of the end plate hasthe usual transverse groove 22, which forms a seat for the pin 23, bywhich the gib is suspended. On its outer end the plate 19 has adownwardly-turned flange 24, disposed at rig'ht angles to the body ofthe plate, said {iange having formed thereon or therethrough atransversely-extending' opening, herein shown as a slot 25, which slotis adapted to engage the tongue 15 of the main leaf 11. At its oppositeor inner end the plate 19 is provided on its under side with a dependinglug 26, adapted to engage the inner end of the slot 16 of the main leaf11. This lug in the preferred form herein shown has formed integ'raltherewith a longitudinallyoffset portion 26, which latter is adapted tounderlie that portion of the main leaf 11 adjacent to the inner end ofslot 16 and lit into the hole 18 of the second leaf, all as clearlyshown at the right-hand end of Fig. 1.

In assemblingthe parts before the leaves of the spring' are united bythe clip or band 14 the end plate is applied to the main leaf byintroducing' its slotted flange 2st over the tongue 15 and at the sametime passing' the offset lug 26 26 through the slot 16, the inwardmovement of the end plate over the leaf carrying the offset portion 26of the lug underneath the main leaf at the same time that the slotisdrawn over and into engag'ement with the tongue 15. The second leaf l2is then applied, its outer end abutting' against the lower portion ofthe flange 241 and its hole 18 projecting' over the ofl'set portion IOO26a of the lug. The spring may then be built up by the addition of theremaining leaves and the application of the tie-clip 14;, theregistering slots 20, 16, and 17 accommodating the usual gib or hanger21 and the transverse groove 22 seating the suspension-pin 23 of thegib. When the spring has been thus assembled, the end plate 19 issecurely held against displacement or loss, being held against inwardlongitudinal movement by the ange 24 and lug 26 against outward move-Ament by the offset portion 26 of the lug engaging the second leaf,against lateral movement in either direction by both the flange Q4 andthe lug 26 26,and against upward movement by both the slotted iiange 24and the offset portion 26 of the lug.

Figs. 7 to 10, inclusive, show the same principle of construction asembodied in what is known as a stirrup end plate. In these views 11designates the main leaf, and 12 the second leaf. The main leaf has theend tongue 15', as in the construction previously described, and theshort longitudinal slot 16', while the second leaf has simply a hole 18.19 designates the end plate,which is provided with a broad transverseseat 27, adapted to receive the cross member of the usual stirrup. (Notshown.) The end plate is provided, as in the construction previouslydescribed, with the end flange 241, having transverse slot 25', and witha double offset lug 26 and 26M. The engagement of this form of end platewith the main and second leaves and the relative arrangement of thecoperating parts is the same as that already described in connectionwith Figs. 1 to 6, Fig. 7 clearly showing the engagement of the offsetlug with the second leaf and the under side of the main leaf.

It will be observed that by my improved construction the end plate issecurely maintained at both ends against lateral displacement relativelyto the spring. and by reason of the peculiar engagement of the offsetportion 26a or 26 with the under side of the main leaf and with the holeof the second leaf itis securely maintained against longitudinal orupward displacement relatively to the spring. By reason of the fact thatthe natural tendency of the end plate when in service is to movelongitudinally of the spring in an inward direction, which movement isresisted by the end flange 24 or 211', as well as by the engagement ofthe lug 26 with the inn-er end of slot 16, the employment of thelongitudinally-oifset portion 26a of the lug is not an absolutenecessity; but I prefer to retain the same, since it renders the fixedrelation of the plate to the spring all the more secure.

Changes and modifications within the range of mechanical equivalents maybe made in the above described device without departing from theprinciple of the invention or lessening any of the advantages securedthereby. For instance, the slot 25 of the flange 24 of the end plateneed not extend entirely through said iiange, but might take the form ofa groove or socket seating a correspondinglyshortened tongue 15 of themain sleeve, or

said fiange may be made solid and simply abut against the ends of themain and second leaves. Hence I do not limit the invention to thedetails of construction and relative arrangement of parts shown anddescribed, eX- cept to the extent that the latter may be made thesubject of specific claims.

I claiml 1. As a new article of manufacture, an end plate for aleaf-spring having a depending flange on its outer end provided with atransversely-extending opening adapted to receive a projecting tongue ofthe main leaf, and with a depending lug on its under side adapted toengage an opening in the main leaf.

2. As a new article of manufacture, an end plate for a leaf-springhaving a depending ange on its outer end provided with atransversely-extending opening adapted to receive a projecting tongue ofthe main leaf, and with a depending offset lug onits under side adaptedto engage an opening in and the under side of the main leaf and anopening in the second leaf.

3. In a semielliptic spring, the combination with the main leaf having aprojecting tongue on its outer end, and the second leaf, of an end plateadapted to seat on said main leaf and having a depending flange on itsouter end slotted to receive said tongue of the main leaf and lyingacross the end of said second leaf.

4. In asemielliptic spring, the combination with the main leaf and anend plate adapted to seat thereon, of independent devices on both endsof said end plate, respectively, interlockingly engaging said main leafthrough a relative longitudinalsliding movement thereon to preventlateral displacement of said end plate.

5. In a semielliptic spring, the combination with the main leaf and anend plate adapted to seat thereon, of independent devices at both endsof -said end plate, respectively, interlockingly engaging said main leafthrough a relative longitudinalsliding movement thereon to prevent bothlateral and upward displacement of said end plate.

6. In a semielliptic spring, the combination with the main leaf having alongitudinallyprojecting tongue and an opening in rear of the latter, ofan end plate adapted to seat thereon, said end plate having a slottedend flange engaging said tongue, and a depending lug engaging saidopening.

7. In a semielliptic spring, the combination with the main leaf having alongitudinally- IIO projecting tongue and a-slot in rear of the 10 ingopenings formed therethrough, of an end plate adapted to seat on saidmain leaf, said end plate having a depending' flange contacting the endsof said leaves, and a depending laterally-offset lug engaging theopenings in said leaves, substantially as described.

GUSTAV BAURMANN.

lVtnesses:

SAMUEL N. POND, FREDERICK C. GOODWIN.

